5901 Drowsy Willow Trail will be a mixed-income home-ownership community.
Informed by the history and context of the Dove Springs neighborhood, this project will be a public-private partnership between the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), and Industry ATX.
As the development team selected by AHFC to execute on the City of Austin’s goals and priorities for 5901 Drowsy Willow Trail, Industry ATX will continue working closely with AHFC as well as the Dove Springs communities, including nearby schools and local nonprofit organizations, to deliver a project that best fits the needs of the community, while providing high quality mixed-income for-sale housing.
Zoning & Land Use
This site was previously zoned PUD-NP (planned unit development - neighborhood plan). AHFC applied to rezone the site to MF-3-NP (multifamily residence medium density - neighborhood plan). AHFC also requested a neighborhood plan amendment (NPA) from Single Family and Recreation/Open Space to Multifamily Residential land use. Both the rezone request and NPA were approved by the Austin City Council on November 2, 2023.
Housing Preference Policy
The mixed-income units built at 5901 Drowsy Willow Trail will be affirmatively marketed toward households of color who have historic ties to the Dove Springs neighborhood, and preference will be given to residents with generational ties to the neighborhood, have immediate family already living in the neighborhood, or who were displaced from Dove Springs due to natural disasters or government actions.
Drainage & Flood Mitigation
The development team understands that the Dove Springs community has experienced repeated and traumatic flooding events. We are committed to following City of Austin stormwater requirements to prevent our project from creating adverse impacts to the community.
To receive site plan approval from the City of Austin, the development team and engineers must show that the site will not increase the rate of stormwater runoff beyond the current condition, and will adhere to best management practices when it comes to managing stormwater runoff and potential impacts on the neighbors and community. An engineering site plan showing proposed stormwater detention onsite will be shared as soon as it is available.
Development Timeline
The timeline below is an estimate only and will continue to be updated throughout the development process.
November 2023
Rezone and NPA of Site Approved by City Council
December 2024
5901 Drowsy Willow Trail Development Opportunity Awarded to Industry ATX
Local Advisory Committee
The development team will work with the local advisory committee already formed to discuss 5900 S Pleasant Valley Road. This committee is composed of community leaders, organizers, and residents of the Dove Springs neighborhood, who will work alongside the development team to help make decisions about the projects throughout the development process. The development team is extremely grateful to the community members who are joining the committee and volunteering their time to support and improve this project:
John Sirman, Communications Chair of the Southeast Combined Neighborhood Plan Contact Team
SolMaria DeMarco, President of the Village at Pleasant Valley HOA
Benito Faz-Banda, Principal at Widen Elementary School
Abe Hernandez, DJ, Community Arts Ambassador, and Dove Springs Resident
Minnie Pilli, Sounding Board Member of Austin PBS Decibel and Dove Springs Resident
Rory Skagen, Local Artist and Muralist, Founder of Blue Genie Art Bazaar, and Dove Springs Resident
Ofelia Zapata, AISD District 2 Trustee
Ricardo Zavala, Founder and President of Dove Springs Proud
Gloria Lugo, Austin Commissioner on Aging, Community Advocate
FAQs
Who is AHFC?
AHFC is a quasi-public, non-profit entity created by the Austin City Council in 1979 whose mission is to generate and implement strategic housing solutions for the benefit of low- and moderate-income residents of the City.
Who is Industry ATX?
Industry ATX is the development team that AHFC has selected to partner with for the development of 5901 Drowsy Willow Trail. Industry ATX is an Austin-based affordable housing development group, which specializes in creative urban-infill strategies and affordable housing options of all types for all Austinites. See more information about the development team here.
How can I get involved and share my thoughts on this development?
The development team has formed a local advisory committee. If you think you, or someone you know would be a good fit for an advisory committee to meet regularly regarding the proposed development, please share your interest here.
What is affordable housing?
The term “affordable housing” is a commonly used term in our community but often has different meanings to different people. When used by AHFC it refers to income– and rent/sale-restricted housing. Specifically, affordable housing is housing that is only available to households who earn less than a certain percentage of Austin’s median family income and must be leased or sold at a price affordable to those eligible households (meaning a household may pay no more than 30 percent of their average gross monthly income on housing costs).
Why is affordable housing needed at this site?
Austin has a shortage of affordable housing. The City of Austin completed a Housing Market Study in 2014, which found that Austin needed another 48,000 affordable housing units citywide. The Austin City Council adopted the Strategic Austin Housing Blueprint in 2018, which set a citywide goal of creating 60,000 new units affordable to low-income households over the next 10 years, and a Council District 2 goal of creating 4,492 affordable units over that period.
What are the development team’s priorities for the site?
The priorities for the proposed development are:
Serving families by providing a variety of unit sizes including 2 or more bedrooms in more than 70% of the units.
Serving households with generational ties to Austin and the Dove Springs neighborhood.
Providing affordable home ownership opportunities for a variety of household income levels, where households are spending no more than 30% of their income on housing costs.
How will I be able to apply for housing on the site?
Units at the ownership development at 5901 Drowsy Willow Trail will be sold through the Austin Housing Finance Corporation’s (AHFC) Community Land Trust. Affordable housing at this location will likely not be available for move in until 2026 at the earliest. See our Homeownership Information page for more details on steps to take if you are interested in becoming a homeowner at 5901 Drowsy Willow Trail.